Chinese ring puzzle

ABSTRACT

A Chinese ring puzzle consisting of a series of rings, each one of which is fitted through an eyelet secured in a bottom plate, an elongated loop trapping all the eyelets with the rings on top and the plate on the other side; the loop being able to be extracted by skilful maneuvering of the rings; the puzzle being integral with a handle carrying a pen-lite battery, switch and lamp for illumination so the puzzle can be played after dark at night, and the handle also supporting a timer so to indicate the length of time competitive players take to solve the puzzle. The timer can be so arranged in the lamp circuit as to actuate the lamp when the timer is set and deactuate the lamp at the termination of the time interval set on the timer.

United States Patent [1 1 Sluss 4] CHINESE RING PUZZLE [76] Inventor:Willard L. Sluss, 7616 Brush Lake Rd., North Lewisburg, Ohio 45338 [22]Filed: Mar. 20, 1973 [21] Appl. No.: 342,951

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 7/1971 Kirk 46/228 X l/l953'Frechtmann....' 273/] M FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS Great Britain273/158 [11] 3,784,206 Jan. 8, 1974 1,185,589 3/1970 Great Britain273/135 A Primary Examiner-Ant0n O. Oechsle 57] ABSTRACT A Chinese ringpuzzle consisting of a series of rings, each one of which is fittedthrough an eyelet secured in a bottom plate, an elongated loop trappingall the eyelets with the rings on top and the plate on the other side;the loop being able to be extracted by skilful maneuvering of the rings;the puzzle being integral with a handle carrying a pen-lite battery,switch and lamp for illumination so the puzzle can be played after darkat night, and the handle also supporting a timer so to indicate thelength of time competitive players take to solve the puzzle. The timercan be so arranged in the lamp circuit as to actuate the lamp when thetimer is set and deactuate the lamp at the termination of the timeinterval set on the timer.

1 Claim, 3 Drawing Figures CHINESE RING PUZZLE This invention relatesgenerally to puzzles.

A principal object of the present invention is to provide a novelChinese ring puzzle for challenging a players skill in solving and whichgives diversion and fun to a player as well as to others who arewatching the player trying to find a solution.

Another object is to provide a Chinese ring puzzle which includes atimer for keeping record of the length of time a player requires tosolve the puzzle, so that it can be played competitively'betweenplayers.

Yet another object is to provide a Chinese ring puzzle which includes anilluminating lamp so that it can be played in the dark, such as whentraveling in a car at night, and the like.

Other objects are to provide a Chinese ring puzzle which is simple indesign, inexpensive to manufacture, rugged in construction, easy to use,and efficient in operation.

These and other objects will be readily evident upon a study of thefollowing specification andthe accompanying drawing, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a top view of the invention.

FIG. 2 is a side view thereof shown fragmentarily, and illustratingprimarily a novel handle.

FIG. 3 is an electrical diagram thereof.

Referring now to the drawing in detail, the reference numeral representsa Chinese ring puzzle according to the present invention wherein thereis a series'of closed rings 11, each of which is held captive in an eyeopening 12 of an eyelet 13 made from rod material and which is securedupon a long bottom plate 14; the eyelets being arranged in a straightrow. An elongated closed loop 15 entraps all the eyelets with the ringson top and the plate on the other side. By skilful manipulation of therings in various combinatioms the loop can be extracted, thus solvingthe puzzle.

In the present invention, the puzzle 10 is incorporated with a handle 16secured thereto, the handle having a screw threaded, removable end cap17 so to allow replacement of a pen lite. dry cell battery 18' within acentral chamber formed in the handle. The battery is in an electriccircuit with a switch 19 also contained in the handle and an electriclamp bulb 20 located in a socket housing 21 that is pivotable from aposition adjacent an end of the handle (as shown by solid lines in thedrawing) to a position (as shown by dotted lines in FIG. 2) where itilluminates the puzzle 10 so that it can be played with out-of-doors atnight time, or in a car after dark. Wiring 2] to the lamp is carriedalong the pivotable arms 22 from the battery and switch. Atimer 23 inthe handle can be either of mechanical wind up type or electrical bybeing incorporated into the electric circuit so to automatically put outthe light when a set time is up for a player.

The rings, loop and eyelets are made of stiff wire or the like.

Thus a novel Chinese ring puzzle has been provided.

. I claim:

1. In a Chinese ring puzzle the combination of a plurality of rings,each said ring being held captive in an eyelet, said eyelets beingsecured on an elongated plate, and an elongated loop entrapping all saideyelets with the rings on top and said plate on the other side, a hollowhandle being secured to said puzzle, said handle containing an electricswitch and timer and a replaceable pen-lite dry cell battery, saidbattery, switch and timer being in an electric circuit with a lampadapted to illuminate said puzzle in a darkness, and means responsive tothe setting of said timer for actuating said lamp and responsive to thetermination of the time interval set on the timer to deactuate saidlamp.

1. In a Chinese ring puzzle the combination of a plurality of rings,each said ring being held captive in an eyelet, said eyelets beingsecured on an elongated plate, and an elongated loop entrapping all saideyelets with the rings on top and said plate on the other side, a hollowhandle being secured to said puzzle, said handle containing an electricswitch and timer and a replaceable pen-lite dry cell battery, saidbattery, switch and timer being in an electric circuit with a lampadapted to illuminate said puzzle in a darkness, and means responsive tothe setting of said timer for actuating said lamp and responsive to thetermination of the time interval set on the timer to deactuate saidlamp.